Reel mechanism.



G. W. MOKINSTRY.

REEL MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED DEG.14, 1910.

1,097,869. I Patented May 26, 1914.

WITNESSES:

7 BY Gauge 14 M Mast I 2 ATTORNEY l/Vl/ENTUI? COLUMBIA PLANOGIAPH CO WASHINGTON, D.

GEORGE \V. MCKINSTRY, 0F SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN OPTICAL COMPANY, OF SOUTHBRIDGE,

MASSACHUSETTS.

MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF REEL MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 26, 1914.

Application filed December 14, 1910. Serial No. 597,297.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE WV. MoKI Is- TRY, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Southbridge, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements n Reel Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in reel mechanism, particularly intended for use in connection with eyeglasses, but applicable also to other uses.

My invention as applied to eyeglasses, comprises a casing, the back of which 1s provided with a garment clasp or pin, a drum journaled in the casing, a spring adapted to actuate the drum, a chain or cord attached to the drum and adapted to be wound thereon by the action of the sprmg, means on the outer end of the chain or cord for attaching an eyeglass or other article, a chain stop on the drum, a slot in the cover of the casing adapted to guide the chain into or out of engagement with the chain stop as desired, and means for holding the front and back of the casing together.

The principal object of my invention is to simplify the construction of such a reel by eliminating the usual ratchet and pawl check and providing simple and positive means for stopping the chain.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved form of pin or garment clasp for attaching the reel.

WVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, delineated in the drawings and specifically claimed, it being understood that changes properly falling within the scope of what is claimed may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to denote corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

on line III-III Fig. I. Fig. IV is an enlarged sectional detail of a portion of the drum showing the chain stopper. Fig. V is an elevation'of the back showing the garment pin. Fig. VI is an enlarged cross section of a portion of the back showing the connection of the garment pin. Fig. VII is an enlarged section of a portion of the back showing the clasp of the garment pin.

The reel mechanism proper is inclosed in a case constructed with a back plate 1 and a front cover plate 2 provided with means for securing them together.

The chain or cord 3 having a hook 4 at its outer end for attachment of the eyeglasses is wound or reeled on a drum 5 between the side plates 6 thereof. The drum is journaled on an axle pin 7 which is attached to the back casing 1, a washer or distance piece 8 being inserted between the drum and the back casing, while a nut 9 prevents the drum from slipping off the axle. The drum is actuated by a helical spring 10 coiled around the axle 7 inside the drum, and having its inner end inserted and held in a slot 11 in the axle 7 and its outer end held against the drum.

The chain is controlled by the interaction of a guide slot 12 in the cover having a contact recess 17 and a release recess 18, and a stop finger 13 which projects from the side of the drum in the path of the chain.

The reel is attached to the person by the clasp or garment pin 14 which is soldered or otherwise fitted into a recess 15 in the back casing, the hook or catch 16 being formed of a double loop with the free end gutting the back casing, as shown in Fig.

The operation of the reel is as follows: It is attached to the garment with the clasp pin 14 in vertical position, as shown in Fig. I, the slot or guide 12 in the cover being located with respect to the pin 14 in a position of miximum efliciency and convenience for the operation of the chain so that the pin may act as a guide to the wearer when attaching the device. The spring in the drum is regulated so that there is always an impulse to return the chain to the casing, and consequently the hook will be stowed against the cover when the reel is not in use. After the reel has been attached to the clothing the chain is drawn out to the desired length against the action of the actuating spring, the stop finger 13 being so constructed that it will not engage the chain when it is playing out. \Vhen the desired position has been reached the chain is pulled laterally in the slot and the drum allowed to rewind by the action of the spring. The lateral movement oi the chain and rotary action of the drum guide the chain into contact with recess 17 in the guide slot which is in the path of the stop finger or catch 13 which engages the chain and jams it between the cover and the end of the stop finger, as indicated in Fi 111. To release the chain it is necessary only to pull it out slightly; this rotates the drum and carries back the stop finger out of contact with the chain. The chain then may be guided over to the other side of the slot into the release recess 18 and the drum allowed to rewind through the action of the spring. If the chain is guided against the side 01" the slot away from the stop finger the spring will wind it entirely up until the hook comes in contact with the cover, but the chain may be stopped at any desired position by guiding it over to the other side of the slot in the path of the finger stop, from which it is apparent that the chain may be reeled on or oil of the drum and stopped at approximately any desired position by guiding the chain on one side or the other of the slot in the co engaging or avoiding the stop finger, as the case may be.

For clearness of description only one stop finger has been referred to, but it is apparent that a plurality of stops could be employed and the intervals of stop made more frequent, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. II.

It will also be noted that while the stop finger shown in the drawings is constructed of a tongue of metal struck up out of the drum plate, other constructions can be adapted to the same use.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A reel, including a casing, a. spring actuated drum mounted within the casing, a cable reeled on the drum, and coacting portions on the drum and easing adapted to frictionally engage the cable therebetween to lock the drum against movement.

2. A. reel, including a casing, a spring actuated drum journaled within the casing, a cable reeled on the drum, and means carried by one of the two first named parts for wedging the cable against the other of the two first named parts to hold the reel against rotary movement relative to the casing.

3. The combination of a drum journaled in a casing, a cable reeled on the drum, cable gripping means on the drum and means for HICllIl the cable when it is moved into or out of engagement with the gripping means.

i. A reel, including a casing, a spring actuated drum mounted within the casing, a cable reeled on the drum, and a finger projecting from one of said two first named parts and into the path of the cable for engaging the cable and so wedging the cable between the two first named parts as to prevent accidental relative rotary movement of the two parts.

5. The combination of a drum journaled in a casing, a cable reeled on the drum, a cable grip attached to the drum, and a cover over the drum having a guiding portion to facilitate moving the cable into or out of engagement with the cable grip on the drum.

6. The combination of a drum, a cable reeled on the drum, a cover over the drum having a portion forming a guide for the cable, and a. member on the drum adapted to engage the cable when guided into its path and hold it securely against the cover.

7. The combination of a casing, a drum journaled therein, a cable reeled on the drum, automatic means to rotate the drum to return the cable to the casing, a guide for the cable on the cover, and a member on the drum adapted to engage the cable when guided into its path and hold it securely against the cover.

8. The combination of a back casing, an axle attached thereto, a drum journaled on the axle, means for holding the drum on the axle, a spring adapted to actuate the drum, having one end held in the axle and the other against the drum, a cable reeled on the drum, acover having a slot adapted to guide the cable, a projecting member on the drum adapted to grip and lock the cable when guided into its path, and means for holding the cover and back casing together.

9. An eyeglass holder including a reel having an arm thereon, a cable connected to the reel, a casing rotat-ably supporting the reel and having a slot therein into which a portion of the cable may be drawn sidewise to oppose and stop the arm, and a spring in the casing for rotating the reel in one direction to wind the cable into the reel and move the arm to the portion of the cable that may be in the slot. 7

10. A reel, including a spring actuated drum, a casing therefor having a slot therein, a chain on the drum extending through the slot, and a finger on the drum projecting intermediate the length of the slot for wet ging the chain against the side of the slot.

11. An-eyeglass reel, including a spring actuated drum and an inclosing casing there-for, said casing having an angularly disposed slot formed in the side thereof, the drum having head flanges at the ends thereof and one or said flanges having a finger depending between the fianges, and a chain adapted to be reeled 0n the drum and having a portion exchain against the casing to lock the reel 10 tending outwardly through the slot in the against rotation.

casing, whereby shifting of the chain to one In testimony whereof I aflix my signature side of the slot will retain the same out of in presence of two Witnesses.

engagement With the finger on the drum,

n T While shifting of the chain to the opposite GEORGE MOKIL STRY' end of the slot Will cause the chain to lie in Witnesses: the path of movement of the finger on the CHARLES I. KING, drum whereby the finger will Wedge the RALPH E. THOMPSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

